USS George Washington Sailors

jams - what is your bf doing on the ship? Where is his permanent duty station? Mine is TAD at the moment as well - 'cranking' in the galley. NOT a happy sailor!! But he has been calling every few days. Hang in there :)

Regarding Power of Attorney: My son was able to get the legal papers drawn up and signed on the ship so I could take care of a ridiculous problem he was having with a credit card company back in the states last year.

Regarding sending things: I wouldn't send a Visa card - it could get "lost" a number of ways and it may be hard to use. When I was in Japan, the cards could be used on the base but virtually no where else in the local community, only the big hotels in Tokyo. They mostly use cash. Ditto about the fraud last tour when they did use their cards in port. I think what they want most is reminders of home. Letters, pictures, something small and non perishable - I try to find small holiday decorations (4th of July is coming). Sample scents of your perfume or colognes for snugglers - probably not the Moms though.

In regards to NavyMom's comment about a ridiculous problem with credit cards...In 2008 Congress approved the Servicemembers Civil something Act (teehee my short memory). Things it tries to help servicemembers (and their families) with are outstanding debts, creditors, loans, cell phone service contracts, ect. Basically if your sailor was in a contract before joining the service and then was called to active duty, the contract should be placed on hold with no penalty to the sailor. It was designed so the service member can do his/her job without the worries of civil obligations becoming a hassle to the service or the family left at home. If your sailor has a problem make sure they notify their JAG/legal assistance person. Many times the JAG office can clear things up with minimal effort on the part of the sailor and can get them out of the obligations until they return to civilian life. This does NOT apply to obligations and purchases made while they are in service. I only know a little about this because our cell phone carrier suddenly does not want to suspend Chris' phone without his regular monthly charge. I have printed this out (I found it at ehow.com and then read more details on it at mil.com) to take to our provider. If they do not wish to honor it then all four of our phones will go back to them, I will press legal charges against them (the act states that it is illegal for them to penalize him while he is active) and we will go to AT&T. More expensive, but they work with the military. If you have problems, check it out for yourself and have your sailor check with the JAG person onboard or at the base.

I am a father/member of this group, and while I read this group religiously--you are more informative than anyone on Navy Dads---I never post, ask or offer opinion.  However, some of the recent posts made me want to respond.  My son is aboard the GW, and I am in real life a financial consultant.  At basic graduation, my son and I went over to Navy Fed and we reset his account so that I am a Joint Tenant on it.  That way, I can help monitor what is going on with him financially, along with being able to pay things, move money when and as necessary.  Navy Fed is fantastic and completely well thought out.  If your sailor is a member, but you aren't a joint tenant, you can become one and have access to their account to do many of the same things I do on a regular basis.  If there is an interest, I will post more about this......if not, I will stay silent, but continue reading daily.

Elliott you should never remain silent. We always like a mans opinion. I have 2 Sailors on the GW. I am joint on one of my Sailors Navy Federal and USAA account. The other one is so independent he doesn't need mom, or so he says. LOLOLOL. I do have all information in order to sign on to his Navy Federal account and his USAA account. He sends me emails on what he wants done. I get all their bills here at my house and I just go in and pay what needs to be paid. I do have Power of Attorney for both my Sailors. When it is payday I always go in and whatever is left over from the last payday I transfer to savings. My son also has a allotment that goes into his USAA account out of each paycheck. He never activated his bank card for that account so it just sits there and builds. He wants to be able to buy a house when he is back stateside. Makes me really proud of him that he has a handle on his finances finally. Now if I could just get them to quit buying XBOX games. LOLOLOLOL But I do think the most important thing is the Power of Attorney. Things come up that is really hard for them to handle when being in another country or being out on the big blue wonder.

Mary it is called the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act. It doesn't allow for the bills to stop it lowers the interest rate to 6%. In regards to the cell phone a service member can have their cell phones put on Military hold while out of the country. Who is your cell phone provider? We are with Verizon and have never had a issue. When my Sailors come home on leave we activate their phones and then when they go back to Japan they go back on Military hold.

Great to have you aboard Elliot! It is nice to know we have an informed person at the financial end here. momof 2sailors, yes you are right about the Relief Act...it does not excuse bills but it does not allow outstanding balances to penalize service members while they are away and the way I read it is that SOME creditors MAY and I use that word strongly forgive balances. It also means that while they are deployed they can not be evicted from their homes or places they rent, if circumstances make it hard for them to get payments in on time etc.

I tried to get my son to join USAA. I understand that $5/yr will keep his insurance effective so he does not have to start over with his driving record and the bother of finding insurance when he returns? He just never seems to find the time for things like that (you'd think our last name is Rockerfeller...it's NOT). Maybe now he is married, his wife will take care of some of those things for him, or at least make shore life miserable until he takes care of it! lol  ;-)

Oh and I will tell you our carrier if they do not cooperate. They will hear the wrath of a Navy Mom rain all over them at N4M, FB, MtSpace, my college, etc!! teehee. I will give them a chance before I publically bad mouth them.

Mary the USAA International Policy is only if they are a non-owner of a vehicle.

This is the first time I have heard of a Military member having problems with their cell phone. Like I said earlier we have Verizon and have never had a problem with putting my sons phones on Military hold while in Japan. If I were you I would ask for a supervisor or Manager. 

yeah they (corp office) have told us to take the orders to our store for the credit but our store tells us they do not have "customer service and refund capbilities". I think the lady we have been dealing with must be new, and not understand the past company policy. This is the first time we have had an issue with the cell phone as well. That's why I do not want to say anything negative about them until I know it is happening company wide.

Thank you for the info on the USAA deal. Like I said, I mention these things to my son. I ask later if he has checked on them and he says, "No. He does not have time." I get so frustrated with him!!  Grrrr.....................

katlanta, What Elliot does not know won't hurt him! heh? We won't tell him about the dark tanned massage girls over there at the cabana on the other side of the pool with the pitcher of Mexican Iced Tea. :-)

Waving hello to all the N4Ms and Elliot ;^).  My son is new to the GW.

who needs massage girls when you are surrounded by the sexiest women in the world.....Navy Moms!!!!.....thanks

I got a call from my son saying they are leaving - anyone else receive the same call?

LisaCCMom - Your post sounds like someone I know - my son is all about doing everything for himself and there's some things that aren't getting done!

Elliot, hahaha...flattery will get you everywhere (but I'm NOT giving up my cabana boys). Bring your Mex Iced Tea on over and jump into the conversations! The boys don't tell anything they hear. (What happens under the cabanas, stays under the cabanas)

Lisa and yamamom...these *kids* and their fierce independence. Man! I know how frustrating that is! In boot and during their schools they are given so many financial classes and counseling but once they are in the fleet I think they forget all that training and pretend their RDC will reappear to advise them! Ha! At least on ship they can mostly only spend on haircuts, snacks and few other items. When they are in port it hurts not being able to go buy trinkets and local food and tickets to cool museums, etc. My dude learned the hard way when he wanted to come home for leave and barely had enough money to get his travel tickets.  

Both my boys made Petty Officer 3rd Class this past week. I am so proud of them.

congrats on your new 3rd Class Petty Officer's! Is there anywhere to look online for the names of those who passed the exam- my son is not the greatest with communication and I have been waiting patiently for his results.

Thank you!

What is his rate, last name, and first name and I will look it up.

here is a message from the ship's ombudsman...

Many thanks to the USS GW Ombudsman Team  for the message about the email issue. It'll be great to start seeing our emails flowing to and from GW!

momof2sailors. Thank you but I thought that there was a site or somewhere I could look I am not comfortable releasing that much information about my son. Thank you anyways

yamamom- thank you so much for posting the msg from the ombudsman!

Hello ladies my son just got orders and said he was HSL-51.  All I know is he is to be in Japan by Aug 21st and that he is attached to a squadron and he mentioned this ship as a possible ship he may get assigned to.  Anyone have any info about cellulars and such ?

TraceJ... my son got a phone in Japan. He NEVER calls but he got a phone. The moms herre will telll ya the same,tell him to buy a phone over there.He can have his laptop but on the ship they ar VERY busy so emails are few and far etween. They don't have facebook access at sea (not enough bandwith). If you have facebook there is a GW page. The ship's communication people do an awesome job keeping that updated.

TraceJ - My sailor is to going to Japan on the GW on August 30....we were told the same thing.....wait and get a phone plan in Japan....it will be much cheaper to communicate.....

Thank you CArol!

Got a Call this morning! So surprised! No info really, he just wanted to know what is going on here. Good to know he misses us since last phone call he said he was saving his money for a motorcycle and a tattoo, instead of coming home on leave. lol, such a 19 yr old sometimes! it was great to hear from him.He has a cough but doesn't want to go to medical, he's gonna sweat it out...sounds like bootcamp all over again. He thinks the computers are still down so no email yet. Have a great day!

TexasSailorMom,

Did he call from the ship? I have sent a few emails to both my Sailors onboard and they have bounced back. I know the email has been down, but I don't remember it being down this long. I have been trying to let them know I am having back surgery the end of June.

Yes, he called from a payphone onboard that they can use phone cards on. He gave me his email address on the ship but said they were told the email is still down.

They really need to get the email back up. UGH!!!!

I just sent 2 very large boxes to one of my sons and his shop VFA 102. So that will be it for me this month.

Lisa CCMom & momof2sailors...ya might try emailing the GW Ombudsman to get word to your sailors about urgent issues.

jams126,

As for delivery of boxes we are at the mercy of the Army from what I was told by the Post Office. I was told that here on the West coast our boxes go to a base in CA and the Army takes over. It does take longer for them to get boxes when they are out to sea. I remember the first time I ever sent a box to one of my sons it took a little over 6 weeks. The box had to be quarantined LOLOLOLOL. I sent him shampoo that he couldn't get there for some reason and one of the caps broke opened. They were in plastic shopping bags. I should have put them in a ziploc bag. BUT I know now. After that it has taken about 2 weeks. Now how long it sits at the post office is on my boys. But the one that I sent the 2 boxes to his shipmates will be on him t go get them because they want whats in the boxes. LOLOLOLOLOL nothing gets by them. Last time they went out and I sent 2 boxes he got them a day before they left and the Chief saw my son walking with them and he hollered out ---- (insert last name) are those from mom? son: YES SIR. CHIEF: THEN PUT THEM IN PACK OUT. Meaning put them in there stuff headed to the shop on the ship. I think the 2 boxes are the biggest I have sent yet. This time I used the boxes that reams of paper come in. And when I went to the post office yesterday I noticed the prices on the large priority mail boxes went up a 1.00. 

LisaCCMom,

I did email the Ombudsman about the email situation and they still don't know. So if it isn't up in the next day or 2 I will ask the Ombudsman to inform both my sons Chiefs and to please let my boys know. Last resort tho. UGH!!!

  I was just reminded by another 'old salt' that the "down' email may be an OPSEC thing. No news is good news...we miss our sailors but they are very busy,too.Patience is NOT one of my virtues but it is somethoing that I have learned being a Navy mom. I read somewhere that if it is a crisis the Red Cross can be contacted. However, I don't know if that would help w/ no email. Maybe the Red Cross can call the CO?

Yes I know I can contact the Red Cross but I don't think this warrants calling the Red Cross. I will wait a couple days and see what happens and if no contact by then I will let the Ombudsman do what they do.

And I am not sure what you mean by "down email" may be an OPSEC thing. Because it is on their Facebook page about it.

momof2 - what did you send? I'm always looking for ideas ;). My son is in the same squadron...although he's cranking right now. I just keep sending a box every week, with the expectation that he'll probably get a whole bunch of them at once.

They have requested Starbucks and Duncan Donuts coffee. They hate the ships coffee. I send whole beans cause I sent a coffee grinder last cruise and the coffee stays fresher. Last cruise I also sent Starbucks Teas. I forgot to get some this time. They also want Fiber One Bars. And Tootsie Roll Pops and Blow Pops. Oh and French Vanilla Creamer for their coffee. They are a picky bunch. LOLOLOLOL. At Halloween I sent a large priority box full of candy. I just opened the bags and dumped them in the box. All tho my son told me not to send anymore candy other than the tootsie pops and blow pops cause they are getting fat. I am going to try and send at least one more box before I have surgery. Oh and in this box I did add a bag of Oberta Pepperoni Sticks and the new Ritz Crackerfulls.

My son asked me to send him coffee too.

Since the email is back up has anyone heard from their SAILORS?

I just woke up to a email from my oldest son. Now on to still waiting on my other son.

I recieved a phone call from my son last evening. It was 7am there. He said he is real busy working and not getting so much sleep, but he loves being out to sea. Phone cards are expensive, so I'm glad e-mail is up and running.

stephmom,

If you send Arby sauces make sure you put them in a ziplock bag in case they burst open.

Just heard from my daughter. Everything's okay. Just internet problems.